Is cheese a healthy source of protein?

Most cheeses have more than 20 grams of protein per 100g. But, they’re unhealthy, as they’re high in sodium and saturated fat. Prefer eating ricotta and cottage cheese. These are the healthiest cheeses, with 8–12 grams of protein per 100g.

What is the cheese with the highest protein content?

The richest cheese in protein is Parmesan. It has 35.8 grams of protein per 100g. A serving of Parmesan has about 6 grams of protein.

Do most common cheeses have protein?

Actually, there are many cheeses high in protein. Most cheeses have 3–4 grams of protein per serving.

How much protein in cheese?Pin

The second-richest cheese in protein is Swiss cheese, with 27 grams of protein per 100g. It has 25% less protein than Parmesan, though!

Also, Provolone, Edam, and Gouda have about 25 grams of protein per 100g. Other cheeses have less protein.

Can I depend on cheese to boost protein intake?

However, we shouldn’t eat cheese for protein because most cheeses are high in saturated fat and sodium.

Saturated fat

Consuming too much saturated fat can raise the level of LDL-cholesterol, and increase the risk of heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, we should consume no more than 13 grams of saturated fat a day on a 2,000 calorie diet.[1]

But, a serving of most cheeses provides 19-26% of the maximum recommended daily intake of saturated fat. Most cheeses have too much saturated fat. Hence, we can’t depend on cheese for protein. Consuming too much cheese is unhealthy.

caloriesprotein
(grams
per 100g)
sodium
(mg per 100g)
% DV
(per serving)
saturated fat
(grams
per 100g)
% DV
(per serving)
Parmesan39235.81,18013%1519%
Swiss cheese393271852%1824%
provolone35125.67278%1722%
Edam3572597311%1924%
Gouda356258199%1823%
mozzarella296247008%1215%
cheddar409236547%1925%
blue cheese353211,15013%1924%
halloumi321211,25014%1419%
brie334216297%1723%
feta cheese273201,03012%1115%
goat’s cheese26418.54595%1419%
cottage cheese103123504%2.63%
ricotta15881051%79%
cream cheese34363684%2026%
mascarpone4293.5541%30.440%
Cheeses are high in protein, sodium & saturated fat.[2]

Sodium

Furthermore, most cheeses are particularly high in sodium. A serving of most cheeses provides 1-14% of the maximum recommended daily intake.

Too much sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, we should limit the daily sodium intake to 1,500 mg. But, most people who follow the standard Western diet consume substantially more sodium.[3]

Calories

Last, but not least, most cheeses are high in calories. Hence, they can make us gain weight. We should be very cautious with portion sizes. Cheese can cause overconsumption!

What’s the healthiest cheese for protein?

Only ricotta and cottage cheese are relatively low in calories, sodium and saturated fat, while they have a decent amount of protein.

Cottage

A serving of cottage cheese provides 4% and 3% of the maximum recommended daily intake of sodium and saturated fat, respectively.

In fact, reasonable amounts of cottage cheese before bed support weight loss and a good night’s sleep.

What’s the richest cheese in protein?Pin

The easiest way to enjoy your favorite cheese is with crackers at dinner or between meals. This filling snack supports weight loss.

Ricotta

Moreover, a serving of ricotta cheese is very low in sodium. It has only 1% than the Daily Value. Still, we have to eat low amounts, as a serving provides 9% of the maximum recommended daily intake of saturated fat.

Eat other foods high in protein

Even so, we can’t depend on healthy cheeses, such as ricotta and cottage, for protein. They have only 8–12 grams of protein per 100g. A serving provides only 2 grams of protein.

As a rule of thumb, healthy people who follow a well-balanced diet, can eat small portions of healthy cheeses to add flavor to salads, pies and healthy sandwiches.

Besides animal-derived foods, common plant-based foods high in protein are spinach, kale, avocado, tahini, and mushrooms.

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